re he went to bed. She was very gentle with him,
and spoke to him in a tone very different from that which Lady
Chiltern had used; but he found himself utterly powerless to change
her. That unfortunate allusion to a miserable exile at Boulogne had
completed the work which the former plaints had commenced, and had
driven her to a resolution to separate herself from him altogether.

"Mr. Maule;" she said, "when I perceived that our proposed marriage
was looked upon by you as a misfortune, I could do nothing but put
an end to our engagement."

"But I didn't think it a misfortune."

"You made me think that it would be unfortunate for you, and that is
quite as strong a reason. I hope we shall part as friends."

"I won't part at all," he said, standing his ground with his back to
the fire. "I don't understand it, by heaven I don't. Because I said
some stupid thing about Boulogne, all in joke--"

"It was not in joke when you said that troubles had come heavy on you
since you were engaged."

"A man may be allowed to know, himself, whether he was in joke or
not. I suppose the truth is you don't care about me?"

"I hope, Mr. Maule, that in time it may come--not quite to that."

"I think that you are--using me very badly. I think that you
are--behaving--falsely to me. I think that I am--very--shamefully
treated--among you. Of course I shall go. Of course I shall not stay
in this house. A man can't make a girl keep her promise. No--I won't
shake hands. I won't even say good-bye to you. Of course I shall go."
So saying he slammed the door behind him.

"If he cares for you he'll come back to you," Lady Chiltern said to
Adelaide that night, who at the moment was lying on her bed in a sad
condition, frantic with headache.

"I don't want him to come back; I will never make him go to
Boulogne."

"Don't think of it, dear."

"Not think of it! how can I help thinking of it? I shall always think
of it. But I never want to see him again--never! How can I want to
marry a man who tells me that I shall be a trouble to him? He shall
never,--never have to go to Boulogne for me."

CHAPTER XLIII

The Second Thunderbolt

The quarrel between Phineas Finn and Mr. Bonteen had now become the
talk of the town, and had taken many various phases. The political
phase, though it was perhaps the best understood, was not the most
engrossing. There was the personal phase,--which had reference to the
direct altercation that had taken p